Lock for closure caps



Feb. 17, 1925.

R. ELCOCK LOCK FOR CLOSURE CAPS Filed July 7, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 km w m M m M r R f 1EY4 W5 R R. ELCOCK LOOK FOR CLOSURE CAPS Feb.

Fil d July '7, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lull! /Nl/EN To? Posse-r EL cock Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

F F l C E ROBERT ELCOCK, O'F J'UHANNESBURG, 'IRANSVAAL, SOUTH AFRICA.

LOCK non CLOSURE oars.

Application filed July '7,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT ELoooK, a sub ject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Johannesburg, Transvaal Province of the 7 Union of South Africa,-have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looks for Closure Caps, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has reference to means for locking the closing caps or plugs of petrol tanks and other containers, and in connection therewith means for locking the outlet from the tank so that the contents of the same cannot be drawn off.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. I is a vertical section showing one form of closure cap and a draw-0H valve, the parts being locked.

Fig. II is a. partial view similar to Fig. I showing the unlocked position of the part.

Fig. III is a section on A-A Fig. I.

Fig. IV is a section on BB Fig. I.

Fig. V shows the invention applied to a puslrin closure.

Fig. VI shows a further modification of the invention applied to a push-in closure, the device being unlocked and partly in sec tion.

Fig. VII is a View of the same device as shown in Fig. VI but in the locked position.

Fig. VIII is a view of a locking ring showing pins and inclined grooves.

Figs. IX and X show a plan and elevation of a locking ring with cutting grooves.

1 indicates a petrol tank, and 2 the usual sleeve of the filling orifice of the same. 3 is a cap which screws onto said sleeve and which carries the locking mechanism.

The locking mechanism consists of means to prevent movement of the cap 3 relatively to the sleeve 2, means to render said last named means operative or inoperative and a permutation lock controlling movement of said second means.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. I, the cap 3 is prevented from rotating relative to the sleeve 2, and for this purpose a clutch device of the nature of a free-wheel mechanism is employed. This may consist for instance of a ring 4 mounted for rotation on the boss 5 formed on the cap. Inclined Hats 6 on the ring form, with the inner surface of the sleeve, wedge slots 7 in which rollers 8 are carried, as by arms 9 pivoted to the ring at 10. Said rollers are urged towards the 1921. Serial No. 482,937.

narrow ends of the slots by springs 11 an. the slots are so disposed that right handed rotation of the rings 4 with the cap,to screw the latter up,tends to move the rollers towards the wider end of their slots keeping them free from looking engagement with the sleeve; whilst rotation of the ring 4 in the opposite direction causes the rollers to jam the ring 4 fast with the sleeve 2.

The ring 4 and the boss 5 are made free for relative rotation to enable the ring 4 to remain stationary, whilst the cap 3 is unscrewed; and they are locked against rotation to lock the cap. For this purpose the ring 4 is provided with inward lugs 12 which enter an annular groove 13 in the boss 5. Stops 14 are arranged to slide vertically in slots 15 on the boss into or out of the groove 13 and when they are in said engage the lugs 12 to hold the rotation on the boss.

Said stops 14 are formed on a yoke 16 connected to a central bolt 17 in such manner that the yoke and bolt move longitudinally ring 4 from together Whilst the bolt can rotate independently of the yoke.

stantly to move the bolt is provided with operating it. p

The lock proper comprises a dial plate 20 which is mounted to rotate on the cap 3 and is marked with nun'ibered divisions for determining its alternate movements to set the combination. A square neck 21 on the bolt 17 engages the dial plate to rotate the latter.

The combination elements consist of an outer fixed ring 21 and one or more rotatable rings of which two are shown and marked 22, 23. apertures 24, which, when alined (or otherwise arranged with a predetermined relationship) permit a lug 25 extending from an arm 26 fast on the bolt 17 to pass into them, and thereby allow the bolt to move upwardly to the extent necessary to move the stops 14 out of the groove 13 and clear of the ring lugs12.

The combination rings are set by the lug 25 engaging a pin 27 on the ring 28 to rotate the same, whilst a pin 28 on the inner ring 23 engages a lug 29 on the outer ring 22 to set the latter.

In order that the gates may not be found by rotating the bolt with the lug 25 in contact with the permutation rings, the outer fixedring is' provided as described in my A spring 18 tends conbolt upwards and said an exposed head 19 for groove they Said rings are provided with gate co-pending application Serial No. filed June 2,1921 with a number of false gates 30 into which the lug 25 tends to engage and from which it must be cleared by pressing in'thebolt before the latter can be down to close the tank, since the screwing" the rollers 8 into 1 Normally down action tends to move the largerends ot the slots 7.

the-bolt 17 is in itslowered position in which I the groove 13 and locks the ring l relatively tothe boss position it holdsthe stops ll in 5. Rotational movement ofthe cap to unscrew thesame accordingly brings therollers 8 towards the smaller ends of the .slots \vhereby'said rollers jam anc prevent tun ther unscrewing of the cap. To release the cap itis necessary first; to press down the bolt against the spring 18, then whilst the bolt is, so held down, to rotate it toset the combination elements and finally to release the bolt and allow the lug, 25 to enter the gates 24. The stops 14: then clear the lugs 12 of the ring l which latter can remain stationary relatively tothe cap so allowing.

the latter'to be unscrewed.

Forpreventing the withdrawal of liquid from the tank there is'provided anysuitable valve or cook indicated by 31 which is actuated by a Bowden wire 32, 33. The sheath :32 of the Bowden wire is so as to move longitudinally therewith, but not to rotate therewith. The core 33 is taken up through the bolt 17 and provided with so screwed head 34. Saidhead 3 l=is engaged by, anut 35 rotatively mounted in the top of the bolt 17 thenut 35 but saidvalve is unafl'ected by movement. of the bolt 17.

The nut 35 is locked against rotation relatively to the bolt 17 when the latter is down, and when therefore, the cap 8 is-lockedby a pin 36 sliding in the head 19 of the bolt 17 and projected against thetop of the cap.

3 by a spring 37. When thebolt 17 is down said pin passes into oneof aseries of holes 38 in the nut 35 to lock the latter. When the bolt 17 is raised the nut 35 is -freed from the pin 36 and can be turned to open or close the valve 31;

The modification illustrated in Fig. V is designed for looking a push-:inclosure, i.e., one which simply moves into: or out ot position without necessarily being: rotated and which can beef circular or-anyother cross sectional form. In this case the-cap. or lug 3' is provided with a number-0t wedge b ocks 39 arranged around its circumference. Said outwards at an angle'to the axis ofthe-plug, and are wedge blocks are guided to move fixed to theboltlT Thus -by rotating the valve 81 is opened or closed;

thrustoutwardsby springs .40.. They are roughened at .theirends 4:1 to gri 3i upon the inner surface of the sleeve 2 and act when the plug is moved outwards to wedge be tween the plug and the-sleeve; so stopping such movement of the plug. A ring 42 is mounted on the plug to be movable axially thereon; and, whe n moved upwards to thrust inthe wedge blocks 39. Said ring is thus moved upwards by the arms one; ofsaid arms carrying: theflwardQB. The

longitudinal movement iotlthe; bolt 17' is, con trolled by the coi'nbination ringsias beiore.

A furthermodification in which-one or moresplit rings take the place-of thawed e blocksin FigaV, isillustrated-in Figs: 1 and VII.

In this case the 'cap or-plug 3 is p-lainand terminates at its lower end in a cylinder-43 01* smaller diameter. than the plugg3vandcontaining .the i combination mechanisnn On; this cylinder are two rings .44: and 45iwhich are split as at all and-have pins asat- 52,; 53,i fixedat opposite end-s of dian'ieters,.w -hich work in grooves. 48, 49 and-50, cylinder43.

A ring corresponds to the arms 16 shown in Figs, l+V but: prevents the 'mechanism" of the combination-being:seen incase the-cap, is used for a glass bottle.

The cap 56 carries a waiu lflti and ism'o vable with the bolt -longitudinally as herein before described The rings tal and are such that they are of the same; orslightly less, diameter than the plug. are in1theirnormai: position aswin .Fig. VT.

The action ot the device is as fellowsh- In Fig. v YII tl'ie closureis locked and the ward 26 is there-tore: unable to enter' the gates in the combination. rings. Under these circumstances there i is a A large clearance I between the plug: 3, the rings 4-4, 45 and :the ring. 4-2.: The spring 56 urges the rings 4 t and away from the plug: 3 and causes the grooves 48, 49 and 50; 5l,'w.orl i.ng in conjunction with the pins 52,53, and thepins' correspondi'i-ig to them on, the other ring, to open the rings 45, 41% somewhat, tlnis iorcing. them into When the closure is unlocked as shown in Fig. VI the ward 26 enters the ga'tesin lhG'COlllblllitl-IOH rings, the ring 42 presses the rings tei, against the 'plugB-andlhe pins above-referred to take-up; th'e -position,

16 onthe bolt, 5

51 in? the 4:2 is mounted on a-cap,.56" whiclzr 3. when thev comparatively are forced down the grooves 48, 4-9 and 50, 51.- 'lhusthe more exerted'to expand therings and thus-to retain-the closure in the vessel.

loo

' action of the said members,

as shown in Fig. VI, relat ve to the rings, which latter then assume their normal p0 sition, there being no clearance between the cap 3, rings 44, and ring 42. The closure can 110W be withdrawn.

If desired the rings 44, 45 can be roughened in order to assist the binding action or they can have grooves cut in them at opposite angles as shown in Fig. X so that, if an attempt be made to withdraw the closure by a twisting movement, this will have the eii'ect of screwing the rings into the vessel.

Cutting edges on the grooves are provided at 57 and 58 only, so that only one set of grooves is in action at a time. It will be obvious that this form of closure. can be utilized to close an orifice of any shape with slight modification.

I claim:

1. In combination, a receptacle, a closure therefor, movable members carried by the closure adapted to engage the receptacle with a wedging action upon outward movement of the closure and means operable from the exterior of the closure for releasing the movable members from the cap and thus permit. unscrewing action of the closure.

2. In combination, a receptacle, a screw cap closure therefor, movable members carried by the cap adapted to engage the receptacle and cause a wedging action to prevent outward movement of the cap and a permutation lock carried by the closure and adapted to be operated for releasing the movable member from the closure and thus permit unscrewing movement of said closure.

3. The combination with a receptacle and a closure therefor, of movable members car ried by the closure and adapted to engage the receptacle with a. wedging act-ion upon the outward movement of the closure, vertically movable means for controlling the and a permutation lock controlled by said means.

4. The combination with a receptacle and a closure therefor, of a ring mounted on the closure to turn therewith and having wedgeshaped slots in its periphery, rollers in said slots, means for locking said ring to the closure, and means for releasing said ring.

5. The combination With a receptacle and a closure adapted to be removed by rotating it, of a ring mounted on the closure to turn therewith and having wedge shaped slots in its periphery, rollers in the slots, means for locking the ring stationary while the closure is being turned, and a permutation lock controlled by said means.

6. A closure adapted to be secured to and removed from a receptacle by a turning movement, said closure having a boss provided with an annular groove and vertical slots intersecting the groove, a. ring surrounding the boss and pro-vided with lugs entering said groove and with wedgeshaped slots on its periphery, rollers in said slots, a sliding and spring pressed shaft mounted in the boss of the closure, and members carried by the shaftand projecting into the said slots and adapted to engage the lugs of the said ring.

7. A closure adapted to be secured to and removed from a receptacle by a turning movement, said closure having a boss provided with an annular groove and with vertical slots intersecting the groove, a ring surrounding the boss and having lugs en tering the groove and Wedge-shape slots in its periphery, rollers in the slots, a sliding and spring pressed shaft mounted in the boss and projecting through the same, a head on the upper end of the shaft, a yoke on the lower end of the shaft and having its members extending into the slots of the boss and adapted to engage the lugs of the ring, and a permutation lock controlled by the movement of said shaft.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

ROBERT ELCOCK. 

